In the spirit of his much acclaimed ROCKET SCIENTISTS - LOOKING BACKWARD multimedia box set comes a new DVD/2CD release from symphonic rock keyboard master, Erik Norlander. THE GALACTIC COLLECTIVE is a brand new take on the best of Erik’s vast instrumental compositions written for Rocket Scientists, Lana Lane and his own solo albums over the years. Recorded on an amazing arsenal of classic analog synthesizers (including 6 Moog instruments), Hammond organ and an incredible Steinway model B grand piano at Cleveland Ohio’s prestigious Magnetic North Studio with engineer Chris Keffer and executive producer Dena Henry along with bassist Mark Matthews, drummer Nick LePar and choral vocal sections by Lana Lane and John Payne along with a suite of guest guitarists including John Payne, Mitch Perry, Mark McCrite, Ron Redfield and Freddy DeMarco, THE GALACTIC COLLECTIVE is a must have for all fans of keyboard - oriented instrumental progressive rock. The DVD and 2CD set includes the complete album, ERIK NORLANDER.

THE GALACTIC COLLECTIVE, both on CD and DVD with the complete in-studio video shot during the actual sessions (as seen on YouTube). The DVD includes extensive interview footage of Erik discussing each song, its conception and new interpretation for this project. A second disc of well-crafted (not filler!) unreleased alternate versions and a new recording of Erik’s classic arrangement of “Space: 1999” makes up the second CD as Echoes from the Collective. Full color, detailed booklet with liner notes by Michelle Moog, Executive Director of The Bob Moog Foundation.

"Yes, Moog, Hammond organ, Mellotron, Steinway grand piano, ARP, Oberheim, Fender Rhodes, you name it, and Norlander throws it into the fray here on The Gallacic Collective. Kudos to this brilliant musician for taking some classic tunes and breathing new life into them, not just for those who perhaps didn't hear them the first time around, but for all the loyal fans as well who always wanted to have them gift wrapped in one nice set." - Pete Pardo, Sea of Tranquility

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"The music is absolutely pompous and full of keyboards pyrotechnics. Some of the tracks were done before by Norlander but here they have a new treatment, with a superb sound and production … If you like pompous instrumentals full of keyboard pyrotechnics and great sound and production (with great bass sound), that is the case. An excellent addition of progressive rock music." - ProgArchives

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"Erik Norlander, master prog rock keyboardist renowned for his work with Rocket Scientists, Lana Lane, Roswell Six, Asia featuring John Payne and a multitude of his own projects takes you through a fantastic microcosmic tour of his career with the reworking of several of his classic songs … Erik Norlander's keyboard capabilities defy superlatives as well, as those who have been following his career know that his talents make him deserving of being mentioned in the same breath as such luminaries as Wakeman, Emerson, Lord and Moog … For those not familiar with his work, it is an excellent introduction to a true prog rock maestro." - Mark Waterbury, Amazon.com

"The entire album is amazing from start to finish with some songs that stood out to me like “Fanfare For Absent Friends”, “Neurosaur”, “Trantor Station” and the afore mentioned epic 20 minute , “The Dark Water”." - Ron Fuchs, Prognaut.com

"'Dreamcurrents,' a classical piano solo … maintains a keyboard solo approach, but works through several flavors and styles. It reminds me a lot of some of the music from the first part of Rick Wakeman’s solo career. That’s not to say it’s the only thing I hear, but it’s a big part of it. Other instruments do join around the 3 and a half minute mark and moves us into a more ELP or at least more “rock” music direction." - Gary Hill, Music Street Journal

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"The list of artists Norlander has recorded with or produced/engineered is too long to list here. With influences ranging from Rick Wakeman and Keith Emerson to Jeff Lynne and Alan Parsons, Norlander draws from a rich musical history to create compositions with a classic feel and fresh energy. Norlander recently released The Galactic Collective, his 8th solo album and 33rd overall, Norlander builds on an impressive body of work." - Wildy's World

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"If you are a Wakeman - Emerson fan and crave for new material, you should certainly check out The Galactic Collective." - ProgGnosis

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"In the spirit of his much-acclaimed Rocket Scientists “Looking Backward” multimedia box set comes a new combination DVD/CD release from symphonic rock keyboard virtuoso Erik Norlander. "The Galactic Collective” is a fresh and innovative take on the best of Erik’s vast instrumental catalog written for Rocket Scientists, Lana Lane, and his own solo albums over the years." - USA Prog Music

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Melodic Progressive Rock 5.0/5.0 !!!

"The Galactic Collective roots go back to the turn of the millenium. Erik Norlander wanted, at some point, to take his favorite instrumental pieces, whether recorded with Lana Lane, Rocket Scientists, or on solo efforts, and give them new life in new arrangements. In 2010, his vision came to fruition with The Galactic Collective. Here we have, not just the original album, but more in the Definitive Edition.

Considering again the DVD side, first, we have the studio recordings that were shown on YouTube. This is great stuff. But what's even better is Norlander's comments before every song. Here you get not only the history of the song, but also what he intends to develop in these new recordings. If you're a musician, you'll get this; having the ability to envision new interpreations of your material is mouth-watering stuff. Again, as mentioned in my review of Live in Gettysburg, Norlander is articulate and gracious.

Also included on the DVD is a 22 minute feature about the 'Wall of Doom,' the affectionate description of Norlander's synthesizer monolith. Techheads and keyboardists will rejoice as he describes and explains in some detail the technical aspects of this instruments. Mostly, I didn't get what he was talking about, but it was cool nonetheless.

Regarding the CDs, one offers, of course, The Galactive Collective studio recording. The second, called Echoes from the Collective delivers variations on Sky Full of Stars, Garden of the Moon, and The Dark Water called The Darker Water. Yet, fans will likely dig another representation of theme from Space: 1999, a staple of Norlander's catalog.

As with Live in Gettysburg, the Definitive Edition is marvelous. Both are highly recommended."

Tracks:

DVD Feature (1 hour 53mins) Main Titles
Neurosaur
Introductory Interview
Interview: Neurosaur
Interview: Fanfare For Absent Friends
Fanfare for Absent Friends
Interview: Sky Full of Stars
Sky Full of Stars
Interview: Astrology Prelude
Astrology Prelude
Interview: Trantor Station
Trantor Station
Interview: After The Revolution
After The Revolution
Interview: Garden of the Moon
Garden of the Moon
Interview: Dreamcurrents
Dreamcurrents
Interview: The Dark Water
The Dark Water/End Credits
DVD Featurette: Behind The Wall of Doom: The Synthesizers of The Galactic Collective (22 mins)

Audio CD1: (1hour 19 mins) Arrival
Neurosaur
Fanfare For Absent Friends
Sky Full of Stars
Astrology Prelude
Trantor Station
After The Revolution
Garden of the Moon
Dreamcurrents
The Dark Water

Audio CD2: Echoes From The Collective (45 mins) Space: 1999
Sky Full of Stars - Piano and Vocal Version
Garden of the Moon - Long Version
The Darker Water

Click above to watch video

Review: ERIK NORLANDER GETS A BRAZILIAN (REVIEW)

What is it with Erik Norlander and the Portuguese language? After two days where we brought you Portuguese reviews of the Galactic Collective dude, here is one from Brazil...

The keyboardist Erik Norlander started working in 2009 on a project where they meet their favorite instrumental compositions and released the album in 2010 called The Galactive Collective (2010), where he was a summary of his entire career. Now, two years later, Erik delves into the project and launched on the 6th of August 2 boxes: The Galactive Collective - Definitive Edition (2012) and The Galactive Collective - Live In Gettysburg (2012) through his label and the Think Tank Media distributed by our partner Gonzo Multimedia.

"Galactic Collective" banner took his project a step further and brought it all on-stage in 2011 to stun the public and pay tribute to his hero Bob Moog. As documented here, on a video facet of the performance available also in audio-only form, Norlander did so impressively, the focus of attention being not so much a monstrous stack of circuit boards, The Wall Of Doom, taken on-stage but Erik's playing and command of his ensemble.

Now the group include the maestro's wife Lana Lane who, together with Debrissa McKinney, seems lost in a reverie on "Sky Full Of Stars" which switches to black and white when the tension ebbs down and bursts back in color once the tune is taken to the next spiral level with Freddy DeMarco's soaring guitar solo. Later on, Lady Lane steps forward to deliver "Capture The Sun" and "Secrets Of Astrology" with Norlander's contribution accentuated visually, as is his operating of an iPad-like gizmo with a finger-painting interface on "Dark Water". Equally spectacular is Nick LePar's non-intrusive playing - as if in slow motion - on "Fanfare For Absent Friends" and sensitive tom tom's work on "Trantor Station". The leader comes up with a background of the latter theme, so there's a link to a studio DVD, as well as - a great dose of humor on display - of other pieces and the "Wall Of Doom" moniker. Despite the place, Gettysburg, the concert doesn't have an historic aura: that's perhaps, because Erik Norlander's journey continues. Yet it's as great a landmark as it gets.

Now the group include the maestro's wife Lana Lane who, together with Debrissa McKinney, seems lost in a reverie on "Sky Full Of Stars" which switches to black and white when the tension ebbs down and bursts back in color once the tune is taken to the next spiral level with Freddy DeMarco's soaring guitar solo. Later on, Lady Lane steps forward to deliver "Capture The Sun" and "Secrets Of Astrology" with Norlander's contribution accentuated visually, as is his operating of an iPad-like gizmo with a finger-painting interface on "Dark Water". Equally spectacular is Nick LePar's non-intrusive playing - as if in slow motion - on "Fanfare For Absent Friends" and sensitive tom tom's work on "Trantor Station". The leader comes up with a background of the latter theme, so there's a link to a studio DVD, as well as - a great dose of humor on display - of other pieces and the "Wall Of Doom" moniker. Despite the place, Gettysburg, the concert doesn't have an historic aura: that's perhaps, because Erik Norlander's journey continues. Yet it's as great a landmark as it gets.

I have just been sent a whole string of Israeli reviews for Erik Norlander. The only trouble is that I have no references as to where they come from. If anyone knows, can they tell me...

While it does suffice for mere mortals to have polished their best works, Erik Norlander who fashioned an integral album out of his classic pieces under the "Galactic Collective" banner took his project a step further and brought it all on-stage in 2011 to stun the public and pay tribute to his hero Bob Moog. As documented here, on a video facet of the performance available also in audio-only form, Norlander did so impressively, the focus of attention being not so much a monstrous stack of circuit boards, The Wall Of Doom, taken on-stage but Erik's playing and command of his ensemble.

Now the group include the maestro's wife Lana Lane who, together with Debrissa McKinney, seems lost in a reverie on "Sky Full Of Stars" which switches to black and white when the tension ebbs down and bursts back in color once the tune is taken to the next spiral level with Freddy DeMarco's soaring guitar solo. Later on, Lady Lane steps forward to deliver "Capture The Sun" and "Secrets Of Astrology" with Norlander's contribution accentuated visually, as is his operating of an iPad-like gizmo with a finger-painting interface on "Dark Water". Equally spectacular is Nick LePar's non-intrusive playing - as if in slow motion - on "Fanfare For Absent Friends" and sensitive tom tom's work on "Trantor Station". The leader comes up with a background of the latter theme, so there's a link to a studio DVD, as well as - a great dose of humor on display - of other pieces and the "Wall Of Doom" moniker. Despite the place, Gettysburg, the concert doesn't have an historic aura: that's perhaps, because Erik Norlander's journey continues. Yet it's as great a landmark as it gets.

Review: ERIK NORLANDER: German review

Here is the continuation of my recurrence of the studio album "The Galactic Collective". As I already mentioned here, has the live version of this album more lively, even heavier. Live is a live and has a different magic when layered over each other single-slice computer at the studio. So also always have time for great improvisations which are rewarded with applause, the Ohrenscheinlich somewhat smaller audience.

At the song selection has two exceptions changed nothing: the floydigen "Sky Full of Stars" is followed by the Lana Lane number "Capture the Sun" (from the Red Planet Boulevard album) on, which then also to the already familiar "Astrology Prelude "leads over, this time it's there but as a complete suite. Finally, there's still a premiere: "Into the Sunset" is available as a suite for the first time live and on the ears.

What I bemäkelt in the studio version is still time swept off the table: now can also Norlanders better half, Lana Lane, often to the mike and gives the synth walls more dynamic. You do not have to say that it is the Lana Lane numbers show the hidden highlights of this love again and the packed publication.

The DVD presents what you hear then again for post-looking. Two full hours there's a clearly motivated performance at the "Rites of Spring Festival" (except "The Garden of the Moon" Live from Cleveland is). Image quality and camera work are optimal, only the intermediate announcement to take the songs to a whole bisl the river. The collector uses naturally to two publications, the first-time and casual Norlander / lane listeners prefer to grab the live version.

The band's role is very prominent throughout as Nick LePar's sensual drumming spices up "Dreamcurrants" and "Trantor Station" and adds battle march to the mix, and Mark Matthews' bass propels such spacious pieces as "Sky Full Of Stars" and reserved, if adrenalin-filled, rushes as "Sunset Prelude". The ensemble work peaks on "The Dark Waters" that puts every figure of the bombastic puzzle into its ever-shifting place; on the end of spectrum lays the piano-led "After The Revolution" which takes on chamber qualities and the vocal harmonies of "Hymn". The result is high-spirited - and perfectly in the spirit of things. Best experienced in visual form, sans vision its rewarding on the imagination level. Mission accomplished.

Erik Norlander is almost known to everyone that’s dealing with atmospheric, rock, symphonic, progressive, instrumental, keyboard-driven music. He’s the main composer for Lana Lane and he had also formed the Rocket Scientists back in the late 80s.

“The Galactic Collective” was released in 2010 when Erik decided to re-record some of his beloved instrumentals from his solo albums along with a couple of tunes from Lana Lane’s works and some from Rocket Scientists that he had written. So, some may wonder what’s new in this release.

First of all, we’re talking about two separate releases. The first is “The Galactic Collective - Definite Edition” which contains two audio CDs and one DVD with more than two hours material. Erik has done something very ambitious and innovative here. He re-recorded those instrumental songs from the beginning, taped them in the studio, recorded them and delivered an ultimate package that’s containing music and video for over 4 hours! The first CD is the same one that was released in 2010 (same songs but re-recorded), the second one, “Echoes from the Collective” is a bonus CD that’s containing 4 songs, “Space: 1999”, “Sky Full of Stars" (piano & vocal version-amazing indeed), “Garden of the Moon” (long version) &”The Dark Water” (an extended version from “The Gallactic Collective” sessions that adds about four minutes to the epic suite with an additional guitar solo, synth solo and extended sound effects jam section) and of course, the magic moment comes with the excellent DVD.

You’ll get to know Erik, hear what he has to say about each one of the songs, see him play them on the studio along with a bunch of great musicians… his known guys Freddy DeMarco (guitars), Mark Matthews (bass) and Nick LePar (drums) and some special guests: John Payne (guitars, choral vocals), Lana Lane (choral vocals), Mitch Perry (guitars), Ron Redfield (guitars) and Mark McCrite (guitars). Believe me, as soon as you watch it, you’ll ask for more! This was one of the most gratifying DVDs I’ve watched in a while. I must confess that I enjoy it more than the live DVD…

“The Galactic Collective - Definite Edition” was mixed & produced by Erik Norlander & mastered by C.S Brown at Stuffy Room Studio at Murfreesboro, Tennesse. “Echoes from the Collective” was mastered by Erik Norlander except for “Garden of the Moon” (long version) which was mastered by C.S Brownduring during the original album mastering session in March 2010.

“The Galactic Collective - Live in Gettysburg” is also a DVD with 2 CDs that were recorded/taped at The Rites of Spring Festival in May 21, 2011, which was held, that time, in the iconic Civil War battlefield city of Gettysburg, Penssylvania. For this show Erik gathered two groups of artists from both the North (Akron, Ohio) and the South (Asheville, North Carolina) so as to play “The Gallactic Collective” entirely.

Erik has been asked to play a full two hour set and so in addition to “The Gallactic Collective” album, he added the songs “Capture the Sun” & “Secrets of Astrology” that he had written for the Lana Lane albums, “Red Planet Boulevard” & “Secrets of Astrology” which respectively fit to the whole celestial theme of the show nicely. For the end, he presented “Into the Sunset Suite” live for the first time ever!

The live show is very pleasurable… to watch and listen to… and I know that most of you (including me) will prefer to watch it and “steal” some of its enchanted atmosphere of that night. A great show to attend to… lucky those who did watch it. Artists who accompanied Erik that night were Freddy DeMarco (guitars), Mark Matthews (bass) and Nick LePar (drums) with special guest vocalists Lana Lane and Debrissa McKinney. “The Galactic Collective - Live in Gettysburg” was mixed & produced by Erik Norlander & mastered by C.S Brown at Stuffy Room Studio at Murfreesboro, Tennesse. The production is as astonishing as “The Galactic Collective - Definite Edition”.

The whole package is kinda irresistible, even if you do own “The Galactic Collective” CD, for we’re talking about 2 DVDs and 4 CDs here… well almost 8 hours full of progressive, instrumental, theatrical, atmospheric, symphonic, emotional, ambient, keyboard-laden music! I can’t think of any good reason why someone might miss this incredible music package. This is an acclaimed purchase for the fans of the genre and generally for all music lovers. It definitely deserves a place on Grande Rock’s “Hall of Fame” as it is perfect in any way!

Erik NorlanderThe Galactic Collective Definitive Edition DVDReview by G. W. HillThis set is quite cool. First off, let’s just say if you are a fan of the keyboard dominated progressive rock of guys like Keith Emerson and Rick Wakeman and haven’t heard Erik Norlander, wait no longer. Get out and buy this thing – now. This set features music Norlander recorded under various headings over the years including his solo work, albums of his wife Lana Lane and his band Rocket Scientists. He re-envisions the songs and breathes new life into them. The result is stunning, to say the least. The set here is a DVD showcasing the studio performances that created the album along with Norlander giving some explanation into what goes into each piece, along with two CDs, the first the audio of the songs presented on the DVD and the second features reinterpretations of other Norlander staples. All in all, this comes highly recommended.

DVD - The Galactic Collective, Behind the Wall of Doom, The Synthesizers of the Galactic Collective

Erik Norlander, Mark Matthews, Nick LePar, John Payne, Mitch Perry, Mark McCrite, Ron Redfield, Freddy DeMarco and Lana Lane; what you have created here is nigh on perfect. What I experienced within this package sent shivers down my spine. This is entertainment of the highest order that can't be faulted. Erik Norlander has taken the said works listed above, compositions written for Rocket Scientists, Lana Lane and his own solo ventures, and offered new interpretations, alternate and extended versions, re-imagining them into a single unified production that links all these pieces together. This release is full of pomposity and keyboard pyrotechnics that will absolutely amaze all those who listen.

Make no mistake, the star of the show is Mr. Norlander and his amazing arsenal of classic analogue synthesizers (including 6 Moog instruments), Hammond organ and an incredible Steinway model B grand piano. The inclusion of the other musicians (one bass player, one drummer and five guitarists) really sets the whole affair alight majestically. Let's not forget Lana's choral vocal addition that adds some flavour to the proceedings.

Across both disks we are offered spatial soundscapes, rapidity, passages that conceive and develop the mind, musical permutations that stimulate both the conscious and unconscious mind's eye. It doesn't stop there; ones emotions are also pricked as the lush atmospheric, powerful, sedate and exciting structures caress and enrich the listener's ears. This really is what music is all about.

The recording and production work on this release capture every nuance with perfect clarity, which re-enforces the strength of the music presented here. You can hear and feel the love that that has been allocated to this project, instrumentals that have been nurtured in Erik's mind, where he has gained possession and control over every note played, something that has allowed him and his fellow band mates to excel to a different level.

As if this wasn't enough, the collection comes enhanced with an in studio filmed DVD of the music being played. Between the songs Erik offers his thoughts and feelings on each song and how they were constructed which is interesting and enlightening, an approach that won't just appeal to the die-hard fans and something that adds an extra dimension.

The Synthesizers of the Galactic Collective documentary goes into the technicalities of the keyboards used in this project, which in all honesty lost me somewhat, but confirms that Erik certainly knows his stuff, even down to an almost train spotter level, which I will probably be chastised for stating.

The footage is excellent as is the soundstage, the obligatory 2.0 stereo and more importantly the 5.1 surround, which is the way this music should be played.

I am not going to pick my favourite tacks here as in all honesty I can't; there is absolutely nothing I do not like about this release. Make no mistake Erik Norlander is a master craftsman and this release is a master class on how it should be done.

Thoughts:Erik Norlander is a Progressive Rock keyboardist, composer and producer from California, the USA. He’s quite prolific in his area of work and has over 30 albums recorded since 1993. He was involved in many different projects e.g. with Lana Lane (who is also his wife), his band Rocket Scientists, his own solo albums and numerous guest appearances.

Erik is an old-fashioned keyboard man with a passion for the Moog Synths. He has also personally led sound design efforts on several major brand synthesizers.

In the year 2010 he decided to take the best instrumental material he had written so far for all the albums he had made and re-recorded them in a great style. Then the original The Galactic Collective (2010) was born, but only a preview of the whole work was released in CD-R format.

Erik was not that happy with that release and 2 years later, on August 6th, he decided to go full on that trip field again with The Galactic Collective: Definitive Edition (2012), a 2 CD/DVD box with all the material from the 2010 album but now with everything in video as well. He also released a live version called The Galactic Collective: Live In Gettysburg (2012).

Both releases came to life by Erik’s own company, the Think Tank Media, with distribution of Gonzo Multimidia. Each box contains deluxe, full-color 5×7″ booklets with extensive liner notes written by those directly involved with the project and 2CD/DVD combo.

The Galactic Collective: Definitive Edition

Back in the year of 2009 Erik entered the Studio to re-record some of his favorite instrumental compositions. He joined forces with Mark Matthews (bass), Nick LePar (drums and percussion) and Freddy DeMarco (guitars) and in 2010 he released a CD-R of this work. In 2011/2012 he tried again, this time with video and guest members in some tracks like John Payne (guitars and vocals), Mitch Perry (guitar), Ron Redfield (guitar), Mark McCrite (acoustic guitars) and his wife Lana Lane (vocals).

The Galactic Collective: Definitive Edition (2012), the audio, is a very polished work. Well played and with a very good production.

Many good tracks are included in this Box. ‘Arrival/Neurossaur’, ‘Sky Full Of Stars’, ‘Trantor Station’, ‘The Dark Water’ (now transformed in one single epic track, more than 20 minutes long) are full of Erik’s trade mark, his synths. And great heavy guitar-driven riffs.

I cannot say the same about the video. On the DVD we have a kind of documentary, where Erik himself presents all the songs with details, technical or not, including lots of stories about the tracks.

If on the one hand it is very nice to see the band’s recordings, on the other hand the quality of the interviews is kinda amateurish, with Erik always looking to anyplace, except for the camera, which is very weird.

In 2011 Erik took the base of musicians that recorded the original project and went on tour with them.

The show presented in the DVD and 2CD set was taken from the RoSFest concert that happened on May 21 and includes the complete studio album. So, if you have the Studio box, it is quite odd to have the live one as well. Unless you’re a hardcore fan.

On the stage Erik Norlander (keyboards), Freddy DeMarco (guitars), Mark Matthews (bass) and Nick LePar (drums) are joined by Lana Lane in some tracks.

Here the DVD is the most interesting part, not the CD. The band is sharp and very good. The one thing is that I’m not a fan of live recordings, so in my opinion the studio one is more interesting. But I do like a lot of live concerts on video.

In general, both releases are worthy, a lot. There are some great moments with great musicianship and will be just right for an audience that like Emerson, Lake & Palmer or Rick Wakeman but with a modern approach.

He is working on another installment for Live in Gettysburg that will come soon.

Many thanks,Erik

So with an endorsement like that, I just had to half inch the whole thing. Enjoy!

With music spanning over two decades and several bands, it is quite a task to collect highlights. And then not just picking the songs, but re-arranging and re-recording them, is an even bigger task. Yet with The Galactic Collective - The Definitive Edition, Erik Norlander managed to capture the magic of his career on one disc.

Musically it is a perfect blend of prog and EM. Visually it is a treat to see the songs being performed in front of cameras. And the included interviews shed much light and insights, not just on the music, but also on Erik Norlander - keyboardist, composer, producer, performer. Highly recommended.

http://www.musicstreetjournal.com/index_dvd_display.cfm?id=100708Erik NorlanderThe Galactic Collective Definitive Edition DVDReview by G. W. HillThis set is quite cool. First off, let’s just say if you are a fan of the keyboard dominated progressive rock of guys like Keith Emerson and Rick Wakeman and haven’t heard Erik Norlander, wait no longer. Get out and buy this thing – now. This set features music Norlander recorded under various headings over the years including his solo work, albums of his wife Lana Lane and his band Rocket Scientists. He re-envisions the songs and breathes new life into them. The result is stunning, to say the least. The set here is a DVD showcasing the studio performances that created the album along with Norlander giving some explanation into what goes into each piece, along with two CDs, the first the audio of the songs presented on the DVD and the second features reinterpretations of other Norlander staples. All in all, this comes highly recommended.http://www.musicstreetjournal.com/index_dvd_display.cfm?id=100707

The Galactic Collective: Live in Gettysburg DVD

Review by G. W. Hill

What can you say about Erik Norlander? The guy produces quality products, plain and simple. This live DVD is just such a thing. If you like progressive rock that is fairly mainstream, yet still meaty and creative (and really since a lot of this is instrumental, how mainstream can it be?) then this is for you. It would be a great introduction to the work of this awesome artist. The sound is great, the video is great and it’s a pretty perfect product. Norlander is joined on this one by Mark Matthews (bass), Nick LePar (drums), Freddy DeMarco (guitar), his wife Lana Lane (vocals) and Debrissa McKinney (vocals). It includes not only the DVD, but also a double CD set of the audio from the show. Frankly, I think every DVD should come that way.

Review: LINK: Erik Norlander review

Was there ever a more powerful image of the epic days of progressive rock heaven (or hell, depending on your point of view) than that of the mighty synthesizer wizard perched atop his towering keyboard castle, king of all he can see? These days, the digital components may have reduced the size of that castle to mere rampart proportions (although they are considerably bolstered here by the intimidating Moog “Wall of Doom” backline), but the sonic inventory remains, if anything, even greater. American musician Erik Norlander is one of the new breed, heirs to throne of Lords Wakeman, Emerson and their ’70′s cohorts. As such, he has released not one but two DVD/2CD projects, one an updated version of his 2010 album The Galactic Collective, and the other a live gig from Gettysburg, recorded at the 2011 Rites of Spring Festival. As well as releasing solo albums, the first of which – Threshold, with linear notes written by old guardsman Keith Emerson – came out in 1997, Norlander supplies keyboards for Rocket Scientists and his wife Lana Lane’s band, and both these releases include new versions of material from those projects.

Norlander’s 2010 Galactive Collective was an album of re-recorded tracks from his earlier albums, played live in the studio and serving as a good overview of his career up until that point. It has now been re-released in DVD/CD format, with an extra audio CD of alternate versions. The brief and rather portentous Arrival opens the album and DVD, leading into the epic progressive metal of Neurosaur, both originally from theThreshold album. Norlander makes use of multiple keyboards, including six Moog synthesizers, and a Steinway piano, while the band provide solid backing, choral vocals courtesy of part-time Asia guitarist John Payne. Fanfare for Absent has the same kind of Nordic thunder as Led Zeppelin’s Immigrant Song, even echoing Robert Plant’s vocal riff at one point, after having opened with a Steinway piano passage. This slips seamlessly into the ten minute Sky Full Of Stars, that opens with a section that sounds like Rick Wright’s aching intro/outro to Shine On You Crazy Diamondbefore switching to instrumental power balladry for ten minutes. Mark Matthews provides a tasty fretless bass solo, while Freddy De Macarco solos away mightily on guitar, but the star of the show is always going to be Erik Norlander himself. Having said that, most of the tracks give all the musicians a chance to shine, trading riffs and solos throughout. Astrology Prelude, from the Lana Lane album Secrets of Astrology, follows in the epic tradition of its predecessors, while Trantor Station could be the soundtrack to an unreleased sci-fi movie. The absence of vocals on The Galactic Collective means that the worst excesses of symphonic prog rock cliché are mercifully avoided, and the playing has a far greater focus on melody than any kind of flashy egotism. The twelve minute After the Revolution is based around a Steinway piano fugue for much of its length, and a chord sequence that sounds a little like Atom Heart Mother” or Saucerful of Secrets if they were to be played by Rick Wakeman and Ritchie Blackmore. Garden of the Moon ups the tempo significantly, fading away in the mid-section before roaring back with a ripping guitar solo over Hammond B3 organ. Steinway fugue wizardry returns for Norlander’s Dreamcurrents, his signature piano piece, before the lengthy The Dark Water. Like all great prog rock epics, this goes through a number of sections, taking the time to build intensity and running through a number of themes across its 20 minute length. The drumming on this track is pretty thunderous, but the guitars are reined in a little, making this more progressive rock than prog-metal. The DVD portion of this release features interviews preceding each track, and a 22 minute featurette on the different synthesizers used on The Galactic Collective. Opening the bonus disc is a thrilling rendition of Barry Gray’s Space: 1999theme with added keyboard variations. The other three tracks are alternate versions of three tracks on The Galactic Collective – all three are fine, but add little to the versions found on the DVD and first audio disc, although the heroic conclusion ofGarden Of The Moon – Long Version will surely unleash your inner-air-keyboard player.

he Galactic Collective (Gonzo Multimedia 2012)This is a wonderful 3-disc set that borrows its format from the Rocket Scientists Looking Backward video box set. Here we have two discs of audio material and a single disc of video. The video for the most part mirrors what’s on the audio disc. In some ways this is an exploration into how Erik creates his music. The video is shot in the studio with multiple cameras (and at multiple times) so that we see each band member playing their part in the songs creation. In between each selection is a little commentary where Erik tells us about the songs creation.

He makes reference to th

e fact this is kind of a “greatest hits” package in that’s virtually all material that has appeared on previous discs, although it has been redone for the Galactic Collective. I’m a fan of this format. While it’s great to see a band performing live on stage with the lights and all, I rather enjoy the geeky pleasure of watching a piece performed in the studio. Needless to say the sound quality is superb; you can watch it in stereo or 5.1 audio and the video, while in Standard Definition is still more than adequate and does the job nicely. Being in the studio the lights are full on so you get to enjoy seeing what instrument the player is using and more specifically how they’re playing it. For synth fans, one of the bonus features is a 20-minute tour of Norlander’s “Wall of Doom” modular Moog synthesizer. I really enjoyed this set and it’s one I’ll be going back to over again and therefore recommending it to fans of symphonic prog and heavy rock-based electronic music. It’s cool so enjoy!

This three disc set includes two audio CDs and a DVD by progressive rock keyboard wizard Erik Norlander. The American musician is one of the leading keyboardists in the current progressive rock scene. This collection contains new versions of some of Norlander’s best instrumental works written for prog rock band Rocket Scientists, vocalist Lana Lane and his own solo albums over the past years.

Erik Norlander’s keyboard work is spectacular. He performs high energy symphonic rock, inspired by Keith Emerson and Rick Wakeman, although he also creates ambient atmospheres and slow tempo arrangements that recall the work of Vangelis and Pink Floyd’s Rick Wright. Norlander likes heavy drum beats which is fine, although it wouldn’t hurt to feature more diverse drumming. The guitars are a different story. Although Norlander is able to create vigorous keyboard solos, the electric guitars contribute unnecessary hard rock and metal riffs that add nothing to the music. However, the guitarists on the album are quite good, especially when they are soloing and not wasting their time with senseless heavy riffs.

Tracks on disc 1 include Arrival, Neurosaur, Fanfare For Absent Friends, Sky Full of Stars, Astrology Prelude, Trantor Station, After The Revolution, Garden of the Moon, Dreamcurrents, and The Dark Water.

Disc 2 titled Echoes From The Collective features unreleased alternate versions and a new recording of Erik’s classic arrangement of “Space: 1999”. Track listing: Space: 1999, Sky Full of Stars – Piano and Vocal Version, Garden of the Moon – Long Version, The Darker Water.

The DVD shows the entire in-studio video shot during the real sessions and Norlander discusses each song extensively. There is also a really fascinating feature called Behind the Wall of Doom; the Synthesizers of the Galactic Collective where Norlander describes and shows some of his most precious synthesizers, including a giant modular system.

This three disc set includes two audio CDs and a DVD by progressive rock keyboard wizard Erik Norlander. The American musician is one of the leading keyboardists in the current progressive rock scene. This collection contains new versions of some of Norlander’s best instrumental works written for prog rock band Rocket Scientists, vocalist Lana Lane and his own solo albums over the past years.

Erik Norlander’s keyboard work is spectacular. He performs high energy symphonic rock, inspired by Keith Emerson and Rick Wakeman, although he also creates ambient atmospheres and slow tempo arrangements that recall the work of Vangelis and Pink Floyd’s Rick Wright. Norlander likes heavy drum beats which is fine, although it wouldn’t hurt to feature more diverse drumming. The guitars are a different story. Although Norlander is able to create vigorous keyboard solos, the electric guitars contribute unnecessary hard rock and metal riffs that add nothing to the music. However, the guitarists on the album are quite good, especially when they are soloing and not wasting their time with senseless heavy riffs.

Tracks on disc 1 include Arrival, Neurosaur, Fanfare For Absent Friends, Sky Full of Stars, Astrology Prelude, Trantor Station, After The Revolution, Garden of the Moon, Dreamcurrents, and The Dark Water.

Disc 2 titled Echoes From The Collective features unreleased alternate versions and a new recording of Erik’s classic arrangement of “Space: 1999”. Track listing: Space: 1999, Sky Full of Stars – Piano and Vocal Version, Garden of the Moon – Long Version, The Darker Water.

The DVD shows the entire in-studio video shot during the real sessions and Norlander discusses each song extensively. There is also a really fascinating feature called Behind the Wall of Doom; the Synthesizers of the Galactic Collective where Norlander describes and shows some of his most precious synthesizers, including a giant modular system.

A real ‘must have’ for fans that’s sure as Erik Norlander re-issues the Galactic Collective CD with a bonus CD featuring four reworkings of existing tunes including a marvellous extended musical workout on ‘Garden Of The Moon’. Plus there is a DVD where you can see Erik and the band in the studio recording the Galactic Collective album, which is interspersed with interviews with Erik about the music and how it was composed. The latter is highly informative although to a non-muso like myself I was starting to flounder when he started to use triangle diagrams to explain the music. Interesting to see how the music is played and recorded and drummer Nick LePar has more percussion add-ons to his drum kit than even Carl Palmer!

There is also a bonus DVD feature on the synths behind the music including a massive custom built beast of a synth. Again of definite interest to fellow musicians.

The idea behind the Galactic Collective album was to take instrumental pieces Erik had recorded for his solo work, Lana Lane and the Rocket Scientists and reinterpret them for this album. Tunes like ‘Neurosaur’ and ‘Fanfare For Absent Friends’ are keyboard heaven, perfect for fans of Tangerine Dream and Rick Wakeman, whereas ‘Trantor Station’ could easily sit on an Ayreon album.

Here's a fun 3 disc set from keyboard virtuoso Erik Norlander; 2CDs and a DVD all featuring new in-studio performances of original Norlander compositions that were previously recorded and performed by his various projects, now given new life by his new outfit The Galactic Collective. Though you've heard these songs before, these new versions are fresh and vibrant, and given royal treatment by Norlander, guitarist Freddy DeMarco, bassist Mark Matthews, drummer Nick LePar, and guests John Payne, Mitch Perry, Mark McCrite, Ron Redfield, and Lana Lane. The DVD features all the tracks, filmed in the studio, along with Norlander's interview segments introducing & explaining in detail each song, and the 2 CDs contain the audio versions of the songs, plus a few bonus alternate takes.

To say that this is a classy, informative, and enjoyable release is an understatement. Erik Norlander is such an engaging and intelligent musician who obviously loves what he does and strives to give the most professional and polished product to his fans, and you can't help but feel that vibe throughout the DVD portion of this set. There are some classic tunes on display here, such as the gorgeous "Sky Full of Stars", the dreamy "After the Revolution" (featuring some wonderful guitar courtesy of Perry, Redfield, and Payne), the keyboard shred of "Neurosaur", the symphonic "Astrology Prelude", the futuristic & quite progressive "Trantor Station", the epic "The Dark Water", and the hard driving, orchestral, Lana Lane instrumental staple "Garden of the Moon". Through it all, Norlander's vast array of vintage and current keyboard gear is on display and utilized, and the new band really smokes, especially DeMarco, who is a sizzling guitar player.

The band's role is very prominent throughout as Nick LePar's sensual drumming spices up "Dreamcurrants" and "Trantor Station" and adds battle march to the mix, and Mark Matthews' bass propels such spacious pieces as "Sky Full Of Stars" and reserved, if adrenalin-filled, rushes as "Sunset Prelude". The ensemble work peaks on "The Dark Waters" that puts every figure of the bombastic puzzle into its ever-shifting place; on the end of spectrum lays the piano-led "After The Revolution" which takes on chamber qualities and the vocal harmonies of "Hymn". The result is high-spirited - and perfectly in the spirit of things. Best experienced in visual form, sans vision its rewarding on the imagination level. Mission accomplished.****And check out the dedicated Gonzo artist page for Asia featuring John Payne, and for Erik solo

Review: ERIK NORLANDER: Israeli review

I have just been sent a whole string of Israeli reviews for Erik Norlander. The only trouble is that I have no references as to where they come from. If anyone knows, can they tell me...

Now the group include the maestro's wife Lana Lane who, together with Debrissa McKinney, seems lost in a reverie on "Sky Full Of Stars" which switches to black and white when the tension ebbs down and bursts back in color once the tune is taken to the next spiral level with Freddy DeMarco's soaring guitar solo. Later on, Lady Lane steps forward to deliver "Capture The Sun" and "Secrets Of Astrology" with Norlander's contribution accentuated visually, as is his operating of an iPad-like gizmo with a finger-painting interface on "Dark Water". Equally spectacular is Nick LePar's non-intrusive playing - as if in slow motion - on "Fanfare For Absent Friends" and sensitive tom tom's work on "Trantor Station". The leader comes up with a background of the latter theme, so there's a link to a studio DVD, as well as - a great dose of humor on display - of other pieces and the "Wall Of Doom" moniker. Despite the place, Gettysburg, the concert doesn't have an historic aura: that's perhaps, because Erik Norlander's journey continues. Yet it's as great a landmark as it gets.